Information provided to a user or a system application is often duplicated in some form to allow access to the information to other users, system applications, or a system comprising another environment. For example, where data provided in a central data store or location is shared across a number of different systems or applications, each system may replicate the data in some form locally, e.g., by periodically downloading the data from the central data store. In this way, each individual system or application is able to access the information maintained in the central data store without disrupting access to the information by other systems.
Individual systems or applications may also modify information kept at the central data store by updating the central data store according to modifications made to local versions of the data. For example, changes to data initially copied from the central data store to a local data store or application may be distributed to the central data store so that information is consistent across all applications pulling data from the central data store.
Local applications or environments often have varied requirements for information to be compatible with the application, e.g., format requirements, database schemas for the local applications, etc. Processes for updating the local applications with information must generally be carried out manually, e.g., by administrators of the applications or of a central data store, in order to provide data in a format that can be used by each of the local applications. As a result, where a central data store provides data to a large number of local applications or environments, the process of updating the many applications with current data from the central data store and also updating the central data store with new information submitted via the application can be very time consuming and labor intensive. Additionally, any changes to local applications, e.g., format of the application or methodologies for using the information, must generally be communicated to the central data store to allow the central data store to transmit data to the local applications in the proper format or location.
Accordingly, there is a need for an improved central data storage system that provides for a simplified manner of updating information in different environments.